Thorough lawn care is also necessary towards the end of the vegetation period so that the lawn can get through the winter well. You can find everything you need to know here.
Ongoing lawn care
In autumn, depending on the trees on or around the lawn, more or less leaves fall onto the lawn. Regularly remove the leaves from the lawn. If the leaves remain, the blades of grass get too little light. In addition, rotting spots can easily form under compacted, wet foliage, the grass dies off and bare patches appear. You can also remove the leaves when mowing the lawn, but they should not be mulched and then left on the lawn.
Notice: Don't throw away leaves. Put it in the compost, it makes an excellent fertilizer.
If there are fruit trees on your lawn, don't forget to remove the fallen fruit regularly. This is not only good for the lawn, but also for the fruit trees.
weed
When the grass stops growing, weeds usually don't grow much either. Nevertheless, it is worth removing wild herbs from the lawn before winter. They don't even get the chance to sprout again in spring. Weeds with taproots are removed with a weeder, which is gentle on the grasses but gets the entire root out of the ground.
Notice: If you're thorough with your lawn care all year round, there won't be many weeds left to remove by fall.
mowing
In September or October, the lawn does not have to be mowed as often as in summer. Nevertheless, it should still be cut to the preferred height. Only when the temperature remains permanently below 10 degrees does the last cut of the year take place. Then the grass stops growing. Do not cut the lawn too short for the winter. This provides better protection against frost penetration into the soil.
Cutting heights according to lawn type:
- Utility lawn: 3 to 4 cm
- Shade lawn: slightly longer, up to 5 cm
- Ornamental lawn: only up to 2.5 cm
The lawn clippings should no longer remain as mulch on the area in October. The grass no longer absorbs as many nutrients and rotting processes slow down. It is better to collect the lawn clippings and dispose of them on the compost or under hedges, bushes and trees.
aerate
Scarifying is often done during lawn care in spring, as that is when the grass begins to grow. In the case of heavy matting, however, it also gives the lawn relief in the fall. However, you should not cut too deep so that the roots are not damaged too much. Everything that comes to light when scarifying is removed from the lawn. Electric scarifiers often have a grass catcher that makes this task easier. Moss is removed when scarifying, so bare spots can remain in the lawn. These can still be eliminated in September or October.
scarify the lawn
Notice: You do not necessarily need a scarifier for this work, a sharp rake will do even for small areas.
overseeding
Freshly sowing bare spots is not only possible in spring. September is quite favorable for this, as the ground is often still warm enough and a lot of rain is to be expected. This can make irrigation unnecessary. Bald spots in the lawn should be freshly sown from a diameter of about 10 cm. If the spot is smaller, it will grow back on its own.
manual
1st step: Use suitable seeds. It should be the same type of turf that was used to seed the area at the plant. The easiest way is to keep some of the seed used in a tightly sealed container for later use when laying out a new lawn.
2nd step: Prepare the bare patches in the lawn. If you have already scarified the entire area, you don't have to do anything else. If not, loosen the top layer of soil with a rake, removing stones, weeds, roots and dead grass.
3rd step: Spread the seed evenly over the prepared area. About 15 to 30 g per square meter are sufficient for this.
4th step: Rake the seed lightly into the soil and press down firmly. You can also use a lawn roller for this, which is very effective, especially for large areas.
5th step: Keep the area moist for 4 weeks and do not walk on it.
6th step: Before winter, the lawn is not cut again. The first cut of the new culms takes place in the following spring.
autumn fertilization
Lawn care in September or October does not have to include fertilizing. Since the grass doesn't grow much anymore, it doesn't need many nutrients anymore. Nevertheless, the right fertilizing in the fall offers advantages. However, you must use a different fertilizer than in the spring. While it is important to stimulate grass growth at the beginning of the growing season, the grass plants should be strengthened in September or October.
1. Nitrogen-rich fertilizers are not suitable. This includes compost. Rotted stable manure, on the other hand, can be used, since the nutrient release is very slow over the winter.
2. Potassium-rich fertilizer, which is sold as a special autumn lawn fertilizer, works well. It ensures that the grass becomes firmer and more resistant to frost.
A spreader helps with even fertilization.
3. The fertilizer is distributed evenly over the lawn. Use a spreader for this. Fertilize the lawn on an overcast day, even if the sun isn't as strong in the fall.
4. The lawn should then be watered. If rain is imminent, this is also sufficient to better introduce the nutrients into the soil.
5. Don't expect the lawn to do much after fertilizing, it won't look much greener or healthier this time of year. Nevertheless, with this type of lawn care you have ensured optimal starting conditions in the new vegetation period. It is essential to refrain from re-fertilizing if there is no visible success.